Deretaphrus parviceps Lea, 1898

Lord, Nathan P. & McHugh, Joseph V., 2013, A Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Deretaphrus Newman, 1842 (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea: Bothrideridae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 12) 67, pp. 1-107 : 44-45

Deretaphrus parviceps Lea, 1898

( Figs. 38 , 75 , 118–119 , 158 , 171 , 173 , 226–227 )

Deretaphrus parviceps Lea, 1898: 548 . Blackburn 1903: 120; Carter and Zeck 1937: 200; Heinze 1943: 119.

Diagnosis. This species can be readily distinguished from congeners by the nearly glabrous

antennae, the extremely convex eyes (nearing angulate), the weak pronotal median longitudinal depression, elytral interstitial intervals 3, 5, and 7 being moderately carinate, the carina on intervals 3 and 5 merging near apex, and a distribution restricted to Western Australia. It most closely resembles D. bucculentus , D. puncticollis , and D. incultus . Deretaphrus parviceps can be distinguished from D. bucculentus by the elytral interstitial interval 5 curving inward, merging or narrowly merging with interstitial interval 3 near the apex and the head lacking laterally expanded supra-ocular ridges. It can be distinguished from D. puncticollis by the less densely and coarsely punctate pronotal disc and the median longitudinal depression being more strongly punctate near the base, not bordered on either side by a small keel or carina. It can be distinguished from D. incultus by the more weakly developed (but present) pronotal median longitudinal depression and elytral interstitial interval 5 curving inward and merging or narrowly merging with interstitial interval 3 near the apex.

Redescription. Length 8.5–9.3 mm. Width 2.5–2.7 mm. Body elongate, parallel, dark red to black; dorsal surface glabrous, moderately shiny; ventral surface moderately shiny, glabrous except for minute setae that arise from punctures. Head ( Fig. 38 ): In dorsal view, narrowed anteriorly; without laterally expanded supra-ocular ridges; eyes strongly protuberant (nearing angulate), visible from above; punctures small and dense except sparse along posterior margin. Frontoclypeal suture not distinct, arcuate anteromedially. Clypeus distinctly narrower than head. Anterior margin of clypeus slightly arcuate medially. Submentum shape as in Fig. 52 ; triangular, fused to subgenal braces, without paired setose pits; anterior margin arcuate, strongly produced anteroventrally over oral cavity, mentum completely concealed. Antennal groove well-developed, impunctate internally. Antenna sparsely setose, appearing glabrous except under high magnification. Antennal club distinctly asymmetrical, leading edge of club segments much more inflated than trailing edge. Dorsal surface (external face) of mandible without median setose groove. Thorax ( Fig. 75 ): Pronotum quadrate, slightly tapering to base, widest near anterior margin; dorsal surface nearly flat, deflexed near anterior and posterior angles; anterior margin straight; anterior angles broadly rounded; base narrower than elytral bases; posterior margin weakly sinuate; posterior angles with small denticle; lateral margin with incomplete carina, forming a distinct, large raised border in dorsal view. Pronotal disc with large, deep, round to oval punctures. Pronotal median longitudinal depression present but very faint; punctures largest within depression, oval anteriorly, round posteriorly. Hypomeron sparsely punctate, punctures large and shallow, each bearing a seta; lateral walls strongly deflexed. Prosternum flat medially, strongly deflexed at lateral margin. Tergosternal suture more or less straight. Elytra ( Figs. 118–119 ): Elytron flat, not evenly convex; interstitial intervals 3, 5, 7, and 9 weakly raised, more pronounced near apex; interval 5 curves inward and merges with interval 3 near the apex. Crest of interstitial intervals with micropunctures bearing minute setae. Basal elytral margin with intervals 3 and 5 each ending in a knob-like protuberance; protuberance of interval 5 merges with finger-like callosity on the elytral shoulder. Legs: Femur and tibia with short, sparse setae; inner face of tibia with small fringe of setae. Tarsus sparsely setose except for 2 pockets of dense setae on the ventral surface at the apex of tarsomeres 1–3. Abdomen: Ventrite V simple. Aedeagus: Phallobase as in Fig. 158 . Tegmen consisting of paired, transverse plates at middle; plates narrowly touching medially. Basal piece with short anterolateral struts; struts slightly curved anteriorly. Parameres moderately short, somewhat elongate, rounded at apices, widely separated and individually articulated to phallobase, internal lateral margins arcuate; paramere sparsely setose with short setae at apical margin; dorsal surface of paramere with short subtriangular process; process thickest at base, narrowing apically, about as long as 1/3 the length of the paramere, apex slightly swollen; processes widely separated. Penis as in Fig. 171 ; short, moderately thick, more or less straight; apex narrowed and pointed; base slightly expanded, bearing short, paired anterior struts. Penis unicolored.

Variation. The punctures in the center of the pronotal disc are sometimes less dense, and the puncture shape on the elytra varies from round to slightly irregular.

Distribution. Australia: Western Australia ( Fig. 173 ).

Biology. Not known.

Remarks. Lea (1898) did not mention the number of specimens he examined. In order to stabilize this name, a lectotype is here designated from the only known type material of D. parviceps .

Type Locality. Swan River , Western Australia .

Type Material Examined. L E C T O T Y P E ( Figs. 226–227 ) (♂, SAMA, point-mounted) label data: “ parviceps Lea TYPE Swan R [in Lea’ s hand] // 9560 Deretaphrus parviceps Lea W. Australia TYPE [handwritten in black ink, “ TYPE ” written in red ink on right side of label] // S. Aust. Museum specimen [orange label]” [ SAMA 278 NL, examined]. The abdomen of this specimen was dissected [glued to point-mount] and the genitalia is in glycerin in a genitalia vial pinned beneath the specimen.

Additional Material Examined. Known only from the lectotype and one other specimen. Label data: “ R.P. McMillan DATE 16.6.51 Culham // Western Australian Museum Entomology Reg. no. 65202” [ WAMP 21 NL]. This specimen was removed from the original card-mount and pointmounted. The original card-mount, abdomen (glued to a card, bearing a ♀ symbol)], and genitalia (in glycerin in genitalia vial) are pinned beneath the specimen .

Figures

Figs. 35–41. Deretaphrus species, head. 35) D. bucculentus, dorsal view; 36) D. carinatus, dorsal view; 37) D. incultus, dorsal view; 38) D. parviceps, dorsal view; 39) D. rodmani, dorsal view; 40) D. ocularis, dorsal view; 41) D. ocularis, lateral view.

Figs. 75–81. Deretaphrus species, pronotum. 75) D. parviceps; 76) D. piceus; 77) D. puncticollis; 78) D. rodmani;

Figs. 118–123. Deretaphrus species, elytra, dorsal and lateral views. 118–119) D. parviceps; 120–121) D. piceus;

Figs. 158–164. Deretaphrus species, phallobase. 158) D. parviceps; 159) D. piceus; 160) D. puncticollis;

Figs. 165–172. Deretaphrus species, penis (left: dorsal view; right: lateral view; phallobase, to scale with penis). 165) D. boliviensis; 166) D. bucculentus; 167) D. gracilis; 168) D. hoplites; 169) D. ignarus; 170) D. oregonensis; 171) D. parviceps; 172) D. puncticollis.

Figs. 173–174. Distribution of Deretaphrus species. 173) D. alveolatus, D. antennatus, D. parviceps, and D. rodmani;

Figs. 219–227. Primary type specimens and specimen labels of Deretaphrus species. 219) D. iridescens, lectotype labels; 220–221) D. lateropunctatus, holotype, BMNH; 222–223) D. ocularis, holotype, SAMA; 224–225) D. oregonensis, lectotype, MCZ; 226–227) D. parviceps, lectotype, SAMA.

Figs. 48–53. Deretaphrus species, head capsule, ventral view, showing setae and shape of submentum. 48) D. ignarus;